Record numbers of sockeye salmon are being caught in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
Alaska Fish and Game say the 2021 total salmon catch is forecasted to top 190 million fish, a remarkable 61 percent increase over the 2020 catch of about 118 million salmon. Sockeye harvests in Bristol Bay are breaking records for single-day catches, with 1.8 million caught on June 30 and July 1.
Bristol Bay Alaska
While it’s another great year for Bristol Bay sockeye this year, we are still hoping not to see another poor year for other salmon species across Alaska, especially following 2020’s historic low for pink and chum salmon. Both species have a low oil content, making them preferable for canning. A blow to the canning industry, chum salmon catches dropped to below 5 percent of what is typically seen in an average summer.
The Alaska salmon industry has been on the decline for several years but we hope it is a cycle that will turn around soon. Bristol Bay sockeye is certainly the bright spot for salmon harvests, especially with its bright red meat color and sockeye’s high amount of omega 3s. It is a wonderful fish to market, especially with the excellent handling, processing and refrigeration from the fishing boats to the consumer now.
Sockeye Salmon
Bellingham Cold Storage is ready to receive the big catch and do our part in the cold chain. We are grateful for our customers and their fishermen who supply us, and we are grateful for such a large healthy fishery in Bristol Bay this year!
If you’re looking to expand in the US, we have space.
Contact Jose Roques at bcsmarketing@bellcold.com